Automatic sprinkler.



S. B. ERIOKSON. AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 22, 1911.

Patented Apr. 30, 1912.

N WM W m 0 WITNESSES ATTORNEYS SIGVALD B. ERICKSON, OE PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLATQ'D.

AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER.

- Specification of Letters Patent.

raeeneeaapr. so, 1912.

Application filed August 22, 1911. Serial No. 645,388.

To (ZZZ whom itmay concern:

Be .it known that I, Slovene B. Enicnson, a citizen ofthe United States, and a resident of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and Improved Automatic Sprinkler, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the present invention is to provide means whereby automatic sprinklers may be closed to shut off .the flow of water therefrom.

' As is well known to those skilled in this art, automatic sprinklers so-called comprise a valve or cap for closing the outlet, which valve or cap is normally held closed by some form of spring actuated device, the parts of which are held together by a solder fusible at a relatively low temperature, in such manner that the melting of the solder permits the stored up static energy in thespring to operate, to remove the cap or cover to open the port and permit the water to flow therefrom." As usually constructed the opening of the sprinkler toa cer ain extent dismantles it and'there are no means provided for shutting oil" the flow of water from the sprinklers. or any given sprinkler, other than by hutting off the flow of water to the system at itssource of supply. It is highly desirable that the flow of water from the sprinkler may be shut off, and to provide means within reach of a person on the floor to etlectthis result, the sprinklers being' usually placed out of roach alongthe ceiling, and particularly 1s this the case where a sprinkler may become accidentally opened by reason oft-he fusing of the solder, and ,thiswithout the necessity t shutting oli' the entire supply of water to the system. These results are accomplished by the appara'tus shown in the accompanying drawing and referred to in the specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 shows in side elevation an automatic sprinkler enibodying my invention; Fig. 2 shows a vertical sectional view. the parts being shown in elevation; and Fig. 3

" shows an mailer-side plan view.

ln the (ll':l\\'lii QS. l indicates a-portion of.

onc oi the outlet pipes which passes through the ceiling The sprinkler comprises a base plate 3 ,xhu li. as shown in Fig. 3. is

JN lIlLHYllZll oval in shape and has projecting l'rom its upper surface a short nipple 4,

which has a threaded connection with the pipe 1, as shown at 5. By means of the threaded connection the sprinkler is supported in position. The nipple 4 is provided with an outlet or port 6, preferably surrounded by a washer -or gasket- 7, and

this is closed to prevent the out-tlow of water from the pipe 1 by means of a circular plug 8. The plug 8 is normally held closed by means of a post 13 supported at its lower end upon a rest 15, carried by a down-turned arm 16 supported by the plate 3. The post 13 is somewhat shorter than the distance between the rest and the under side of the plug 8 when in closed position, and the intervening; space is taken up by a fusible extension 17,which under normal conditions and except when subjected to an abnormal increase in temperature, holds the plug 8 tightly against the open port 6 and prevents the flow of water-therefrom.

Immediately upon the melting of the fusible extension 17, the plug 8 will drop away from the port 6, pern'iitting the water to flow therefrom. To close the port 6 at will there is provided a cap 81 carried by an arm 9 projecting from a sliding collar 10, mounted upon a headed bolt 11 having athreaded connection-with the plate 3, and is normally held down as shown in Fig. l, by a coil spring 18 which surrounds the post 11 between the upper end of the collar 10 and a-boss l9 projecting from the under side of the plate 3. This spring bearing upon the collar 10 acts to fo'rce'it downward along volving collar 20 supported by the bolt 11.

beneath the collar 10, and the meeting faces of the respective collars are provided with cmnplementary inclined cam surfaces 21 and 22. respectively, whereby the rotation of the collar 20 on the post 11 will cause an upward movement of the collarlO against the tension of the spring 18. For the purpose of revolving the collar 20 about the post 11, it is provided at its periphery with a short radial arm 23, to which one end of a wire Q-l is connected, as at 25. The wire 24cm tends partially around the collar 20 and is led in a substantially horizontal line to a guide 26, carried by th arm 16, from whence it extends downward within convenient reach of a person standing on the floor, and

will preferably be provided. with a ring or other suitable handhold 27, which may be grasped and a downward pull exerted on the wire for the purpose of revolving the collar 20 to cause the opposing complementary inclined surfaces 21 and 22 to raise the collar 10 and the cap 81.

The cap81' and its support ng arm are normally held in the position shown in l and 3, and it is necessary in order to close the port 6, to first cause a movement the collar 10 to bring the cap 81 beneath the port and thereafter secure a relative turning of the collars l and 20, to insure that the upward movement of the collar shall be in a position to cause the cap 81 to aline with the port 6, and for this purpose the collar 10 is provided with a radially projecting stop 28 which is arranged to engage a downwardly projecting pin 29 supported by the plate 3.

in operation the parts are normally held in the position shown in. Figs. 1 and 3, until such time as an abnormal increase in temperature will melt the fusible extension 17. The melting of the extension 1? permits the plugs to drop to open the port 6 and permit the flow of water therefrom. l/V hen it is desired to shut off the flow of watera pull upon the wire 2 lwill. result in a turning of. the collar about the post 11, bringing the cap Si beneath the port 6 when the comj'ilemeniary inclined cam surfaces 21 and 22 will raise the collar 10 and bring the cap in omt'act with the gasket 7 about the port *3, thus shutting bit the lion of water. The arm 16 at its lower end carries a disk 30, preferably notched as sho\\'n, ag-.iinst which the out-pouring water will be splashed and be dispersed in the form of spray over a considerable surface.

The plug 8 is provided upon its under face with a shoulder 82 in position to engage the periphery of the cap 81 should the wire it be pulled while the plug 8 is in place in order to prevent the collar 10, its arm 9,

and the cap 81 being moved far enough tobring the cap 81 beneath the plug 8 which would prevent it from dropping to open the port.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, v

1. In an automatic sprinkler, a base, an outlet in said base, a cap for closing the outlet, a supporting post for said cap mounted on the base adjacent to the outlet, and means to move said cap about and along its supporting post to shut off the How of water.

2. In an automatic sprinkler, a base, an outlet in said base, a cap. for closing the outlet, a supporting post therefor mounted on the base adjacentto the outlet, a spring to hold said cap away from said outlet, a sliding collar mounted on said post and carrying said cap, a cam on said post for raising said collar and a guide stop tor said collar.

3. In an tlUtOITltLtlC sprinkler, a base, an outlet in said base, a cap for closing the outlet, a collar carrying said cap, a supporting post for said collar mounted on the base adjacent the outlet, a spring to hold said cap away from said outlet, and a revolving cam for moving said collar along said post.

-'l:. in an automatic sprinkler, a base, an outlet in said base, a cap for closing the outlet, a supporting post therefor mounted on the base adjacent totlrcoutlet, a spring to hold said cap away t'roni said outlet, means for moving said cap along said post to close said outlet, and a depending cord or wire connected to said operating means.

In testimony whereof I. have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SIGVALD ll. :ERIUKSUN.

Witnesses JAMES A. WVILLIAMS, (.nAnLns W. Sounnnn. 

